Footnotes

• 1. Apparently, this is a demonstration of our confidence that we will be completely forgiven during tomorrow’s Day of Atonement; written and sealed in the Books of Life and Prosperity.
• 2. During these days we are totally engrossed in preparations for the festive holiday of Sukkot—such as purchasing the Four Species and erecting a sukkah. Additionally, the 1st Holy Temple was dedicated during this time (see I Kings, ch. 8).
• 3. Seemingly because we are still under the influence of the festivals. There are communities which resume saying tachanun on the 25th of Tishrei.
• 4. On this day Rabbi DovBer, the second Lubavitch Rebbe, was released from prison in 1826 after being incarcerated by the Russian government on trumped up charges.
• 5. These days mark the liberation from prison of Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of the Chabad branch of chassidut, in 1758. He was imprisoned as a result of false charges brought by opponents of his efforts to disseminate his unique style of chassidut. These days are known as the “Rosh Hashanah of Chassidut.”
• 6. During a regular year, Purim is celebrated universally on the 14th of Adar, and inhabitants of cities which are walled since the times of Joshua (such as Jerusalem) observe the holiday on the 15th of Adar -- Shushan Purim. Tachanun isn't said on either day; no matter where a person lives. During a leap year, Purim and Shushan Purim are observed during Adar II. However, these same dates in the preceding month, Adar I, are called Purim Kattan ("Minor Purim") and Shushan Purim Kattan, and are also observed as minor festivals.
• 7. The Tabernacle was inaugurated on Rosh Chodesh Nissan. Every day of the first twelve days of this month, one of the tribal leaders, the “Nassi” of the tribe, offered inaugural sacrifices as representative of his tribe. The 14th of Nissan is the day when the Paschal Offering was brought. Nissan 15-21 is Passover. Since the greater part of the month is comprised of festive days, “the majority rules” and tachanun is omitted the entire month.
• 8. On the first day of Sivan, the Jews arrived in the Sinai Desert, and a five-day period of intense preparation for the giving of the Torah began. During these days, Moses went up the mountain several times, relaying G-d’s messages to the Jews, and returning with their responses — including their famous reply, uttered on the 5th of Sivan, “we will do [all of Torah] and then [attempt to] understand.”
• 9. When the Holy Temple stood in Jerusalem, all Jews were commanded to go on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem three times a year — Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot —and offer sacrifices to G-d. Passover and Sukkot are week-long holidays, ample time for all the pilgrims to offer their sacrifices. Shavuot, however, is a one-day festival (in the Land of Israel), so the Jews were permitted to offer their Shavuot sacrifices until the 12th of Sivan.
• 10. On the 12th of Tammuz of 1927 the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn was released from the exile which the Soviet regime imposed on him for the “crime” of creating an underground network of Yeshivot, Mikvahot, etc. (That date was a Soviet holiday, so the actual release papers weren’t issued until the next day – the 13th of Tammuz.)
• 11. Although Tisha b’Av is a sad day, a biblical inference compares it to a festival. For a deeper understanding of this concept, see "Is it true that the Messiah will be born (or was born) on Tisha b'Av?" (http://www.askmoses.com/qa_detail.html?h=110&o=43879)
• 12. Also because we are certain that G-d has a wonderful year in store for us!
• 13. Though this seems counter-intuitive, our sages teach that a person’s death brings atonement for his family and friends, thus rendering tachanun unnecessary.